POND

Pond have just announced that they’ll release a new album, Tasmania, in a couple months. The project — which is led by former Tame Impala bassist Nick Allbrook — put their most recent album, The Weather, in 2017, and Tasmania is being presented as a “sister album” to that one. As with most … More »

Desert Daze 2018Moreno Beach; Lake Perris, CA

[October 12-14, 2018]

by Sam Goldner and Stephanie Riesco on 11-08-2018

2018 saw Southern California’s psychedelic freakout fest Desert Daze reaching its highest highs, as well as it lowest lows. Between a change in venue, a drastic boost in attendance, and an unfortunate weather-related catastrophe, this year’s festivities tested its attendee’s patience in more ways than one. And yet, in spite of some serious mishaps, Desert Daze amazingly managed to pull through for yet another wild weekend, proving yet again why it’s one of the more unique, all-in-one festival experiences out there today.

For a festival that prides itself on its good vibes, this year’s Desert Daze started out on a pretty harsh note. Day 1 was basically a disaster, with the line just to get into the parking lot taking a solid three and a half hours, and that’s after driving two hours from L.A. to get to the festival’s new home of Moreno Beach in Lake Perris, CA. We didn’t even make it into the campgrounds until around 6 PM, and by the time we had settled into our campsite, we only had time to try and catch Tame Impala’s headlining set that night. Little did we know that the travesties were only beginning; less than 10 minutes into Tame Impala’s set, the band was rushed offstage by a sound guy who informed us that there was a freak lightning storm headed straight in our direction, and that we essentially had to get the fuck out. Cue the pouring rain (as well as a frantic series of text alerts warning us to not take shelter under trees, buildings, or tents — leaving us where exactly?), and Day 1 amounted to one of the most ridiculous series of events that’s happened to me at a music festival.

But from there, the clouds hanging over the weekend surprisingly cleared up. I must admit that I was skeptical of the festival moving from Joshua Tree — one of the most legendary parks in America — to the middle of San Bernardino, but Moreno Beach was an absolute dream. Getting to go for a swim in between sets was lovely and once again proved Desert Daze’s affinity for offering much more to festival-goers than just a series of stages to hustle between before driving back to the hotel for the night. Between all the colorful art installations, the bountiful camping accommodations, and the silly activities in the Mystic Bazaar, Desert Daze is a fun festival to hang out at for three days, to say nothing of their penchant for booking an expansive range of artists stretching from Julia Holter to Slowdive to Earth to Death Grips.

The prices are still more expensive than they should be, but there’s something about going from floating in a lake to basking in the apocalyptic noise of My Bloody Valentine that’s hard to beat. Take a look at our photos from this year, and see if you can catch a vibe or two.

Last weekend, the seventh installment of Desert Daze took over Lake Perris in Southern California. For months, the festival had been updating an already impressive lineup with more and more names, the connective tissue between them all suggesting a weekend full of guitar-oriented acts bending their instruments (and the audience’s minds) as far … More »

Pond released their last album, The Weather, last year. The Australian psych-rock band, which is fronted by former Tame Impala bassist Nick Allbrook, is back with a new song, their first material since that most recent album. “Burnt Out Star” is an 8-minute-long track that morphs between pretty ambience and twisty freakout. Listen to … More »

Photos by Makena Cummings

Aussie indie psychedelic rock band POND played an incredible two-night stint in New York City in support of their newest LP, The Weather, released earlier this month. The show was accompanied by support from fellow Australian artist Kirin J Callinan. Callinan entranced the crowd with his incredibly unique 80s style sound. His performance is reminiscent of early INXS or David Bowie — sensual and eclectic, with a sense of humor. Callinan recently released his first single since his 2013 debut, “Bravado,” which is quite the unique experience.

POND then took the stage and stunned the crowd with favorites like “Waiting Around For Grace” and “Sweep Me Off My Feet.” They played a good number of songs from the latest album like “The Weather” and “Paint Me Silver.” Frontman Nick Allbrook never disappoints, always putting on an incredible performance, jumping into the crowd and playing his soul out on the guitar. This band is on an insane upward trajectory, and their latest album is sure to be a favorite of 2017.

POND, the Aussie psych-rock band fronted by former Tame Impala bassist Nick Allbrook, have a new album coming out in May. We’ve already heard two songs from the upcoming The Weather, “3000 MEGATONS” and the Kevin Parker-produced lead single “Sweep Me Off My Feet,” and now the latter has a new video from … More »